Do you eat healthy but still struggle with stomach issues like gas, bloating, and abdominal pain? 

Most people I work with for digestive issues eat a healthy diet. They don’t eat a lot of fast food or junk food and do eat a good amount of fresh fruits and veggies. Yet, they still experience stomach problems like gas, bloating, or irregular bowel movements. So, what’s the deal? 

The truth is, a healthy diet does NOT always equal a healthy gut. Sometimes people can eat really healthy and still experience stomach problems. 

There’s always a culprit for why you feel bad, and once you figure it out, you can start on the path to feeling better. So, here are my top two suggestions for getting to the bottom of stomach issues when you’re eating a healthy diet: team up with a good doctor and consider which foods may be causing issues.

First, team up with a good doctor.

It’s imperative to ensure any underlying issues are investigated — these could be disease or conditions such as Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, Irritable Bowel Disease, or Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO). Finding the cause of your discomfort is key to helping you feel better. So, if you eat well and still have issues, this is the first step I recommend. A good doctor will do the appropriate testing to help you pinpoint what’s going on. 

Then, consider which foods may be causing issues.

It’s now understood that a majority of individuals diagnosed with IBS have food intolerances. Having a food intolerance simply means your body can’t break down and digest certain foods properly. These undigested foods then lead to pesky symptoms like indigestion, bloating, gas, pain, constipation, and diarrhea — none of which are fun or comfortable. Furthermore, food intolerances can happen with perfectly healthy foods, such as apple, sweet potato, garlic, and asparagus. 

Food sensitivities are another reason why perfectly healthy foods can cause stomach issues. Food sensitivities happen when the body has an immune response to certain foods that lead to similar symptoms as a food intolerance. 

If you suspect you have a food intolerance or food sensitivities, it’s a good idea to reach out to a dietitian who specializes in gut health (like me!). I can help you figure out how to pinpoint exactly which foods are causing your symptoms in order to achieve a symptom-free life.